Gun mount, more especially for use in aircraft



March 25, 1941.

A. FUNK Filed April 19, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 w N x J w, a y 9 5:11 w115;: a? :::i :55; x a a w \W t .b 4 ,7, @333 x 7 B a 3 1. 1 5 mu w m 23F E w 7 Inventor: v ZLVAJ March 25,1941. AFUNK 2,236,312

GUN MOUNT, MORE ESPECIALLY FOR USE IN AIRCRAFT Filed April 19, 1938 3Sheets-Sheet 2 A. FUNK March 25, 1941.

GUN MOUNT, MORE ESPECIALLY FOR USE IN AIRCRAFT Filed April 19, 1938 3Sheets-Sheet 5 In venzan' Patented Mar; 25, 1941 Q aesasiz GUN MOUNT,none uses on Flu schait,

Application April 19, 1938, serial N i. April 36, 1937 5 Claims. (@1-89-315) This invention relates to gun mounts; and refers particularly togun mounts for use in aircraft. It aims, among other things, to providemeans for mounting a gun in aircraft in such a manner as to aflordmaximum accuracy and" ing line is disposed at an angle to the 8Xl8 0fthe barrel. This angle depends upon the distance ofthe target to besighted and must correspond I to the curve described'by the projectile,which must intersect the sighting line at the target.

Since deflection of the projectile by gravity always occurs in avertical direction, it is assumed when mounting the sightingdevice that,when fired, the gun is always so held that the axis of its barrel andthe sighting .line lie in the same vertical plane. If the gun, when infiringposi-' tion, is not so held that the ams of the barrel and thesighting line lie in the same vertical plane, for instance, if the gunis tipped, the 'con- 30: ditions taken into consideration whemmountingthe device on the gun no longer exist, and accuracy of aim can no longerbe depended on. If

the gun is held by a carrier member which is not,

fixed in position, or if, when this carrier memher changes its position,the gun is tipped, means must be provided to enable the gunner to adjustthe gun to a position necessary for obtaining accuracy. Therefore whenmounting guns on vehicles they have been so supported for rotation thatit is possible, at all positions of the vehicle,

to adjust the gun so that theaxis of the barrel and the sighting linelie in one vertical plane.

Provision must-further be made so that in no position which the gun mayassume relative to its carrier member is the gunners visibility ob- Inthis invention the gun traverses a pane or panel which constitutes thecarrier member for the gun and is sumciently strong, consisting forinstance of a thick glass pane or artificial resin plate, to transmitthe forces created by the gun. so The latter is supported for rotationabout an ems always be properly adjusted relative to the sight Isightingv line can never extend through nonextending throughthe panel,at least an annular portion of which is transparent and the center ofwhich coincides with the axis of rotation of the gun. The mean radius ofthe panel must equal the distancebetween'the points at which 5 thesighting line and the axis of rotation extend through thepanel. When thevehicle turns about an ams which is substantiallyparallei to the axis ofrotation of the min the latter can without interfering with visibilityalong the sightingiline.

If the gun is supported relative to the panel for rotation about its ownans, and also-for rocking movement in any desired plane, vfor instanceby means of a ball or a Garden joint, then durlug the rotary andoscillating movements of the gun relative to the panel the point atwhich the sighting line traverses the panel lies in an annular path.Therefore the panel must at least be transparent in this annular portionof its total area and the'required minimum widthof the transparent panelportion must correspond to the largest possible angle through which thegun may be oscillated relative to the panel, and 25 to the distancebetween the sighting line and the ans of rotation.

if the gun is arranged on a vehicle, and more especially on an aircraft,it is advisable toprevent the relative wind from hindering the gunnerhandling it and also to render its range oi fire greater than ispossible by merely supporting it for rotation and oscillation in thepanel. To this end it is advantageous to support the gun in the panelfor oscillation and rotation and to arrange the panel for displacement.in a meridian slot of a cupola which can be rotated relativeto thecraft, By rotating the eupola the meridian slot can be adjusted in anydesired direction radially to the aids of rotation of. the cupola Thepanel carrying the gun can be shifted alone the slot and the gun itselfcan be oscillated relative to the panel whereby an extended range offire, which under favorable circumstances exceeds degrees, isobtainable. When the 45 cupola is turned and the panel moved the gun iscorrectly positioned relative to the sighting device. Relative movementoccurs between the gun and the panel during which, however, the

50 transparent parts and so visibility isnot hinolered.

In the drawings amped to this specification and forming part thereof anembodiment of my in- I vention is illustrated diagrammatically 5 In thedrawings:

Figure 1 is a section on the line.i-iof Figure 2 along the axis of acupola in the meridian slot of which the panel forming the carriermember for the gun is arranged for displacement. to

the barrel extend in one vertical plane.

four different relative positions of the gun, the

panel, and the cupola.

Referring to the drawings, 1 isv the gun and 2 is a bearing having apartly spherical outer surface and serving to support the gun like aball joint, for oscillation in the bearing body 3 fixed to the vaultedpanel or pane 5. This panel is mounted in a frame which is arranged fordisplacement in a meridian slot l2 of a cupola l3 which is supported byan antifriction bearing 25 for rotation on an aircraft body or fuselage26. To the frame 4 of the panel 5 carrying the gun l are fixed arms 14which can be turned about bolts l5 mounted in the cupola I3. The boltsl5 are so arranged that their common axis extends through the center ofthe cupola and at right angles to meridian slot l2. If the panel 5 is tobe moved in the meridian slot a bowed handle'lG connected to the arms I4is locked about the bolts I5. If the cupola is also to be rotated thehandle it is rocked about the axis of rotation of the said cupola.

In order to secure the panel 5 and the cupola,

IS in different positions to which the gun may be adjusted a lockingdevice operable by means of an auxiliary handle 22 is provided. Movementof the latter is transmitted by means of Bowden cables 2| and 28tospring urged locking pins 20 and 21 provided in the frame 4 and cupolal3 respectively, to engage notches l8 in an edge I l of the meridianslot and notches 9 in the fuselage 26. By pressing the two handles l6and 22 together the locking pins 20 and 21 are withdrawn from theirnotches so that the cupola l3 and the panel 5 can be rotated and movedrespectively.

In order to guard the gunner against the relative wind the frame 4includes, besides the panel 5 carrying the gun, covering panels 23 and24 which are located on each side of the panel 5 in the direction of themeridian line and which, with the panel 5, cover the greater part of thelength of the meridian slot. The covering panels i 24 are so staggeredrelative to the panels 23 that When aiming the gun at a target, thecupola I I3 is first so rotated that the center of the meridian slotextends approximately through the. target. Then the panel 5 is so movedin the slot that the gun points approximately at the target, and finallythe gun is so oscillated relative to the panel that the sighting line,that is, the line which connects the bead 30 with the center of thesight 3|, pointsexactly towards the target.

When adjusting the gun it is held in such a position that the sightingline and the axis of Therefore, when the cupola I3 is rotated, the gunis 'rotated relative to the panel 5. Visibility for the gunner cannot beobstrutedbecause the panel 5 is transparent at all annular portionssurrounding the bearing 3 for such width that at all positions of thecupola 13, frame 4 and gun I, the sighting line :r-a: extends throughthis transparent portion (see Figures 3 and 5 to 8) and is notobstructed by non-transparent parts. The

width of the transparent annular portionof the panel 5 corresponds tothe angle of oscillation through which the gun can be rocked and to thedistance between the sighting line a::z: and the axis of the barrel ofthe gun, which also constitutes the axis of rotation: of the said gun.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described for obviousmodifications will occur to one skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. An aircraft gun mount comprising, in combinationwith' an aircraftbody having a wall with an opening therein, a slotted curved shelladapted to cover said openingjmeans positioning said shell over theopening for rotation about an axis intersecting the plane of saidopening, supporting means rigid with said shell positioned inside thesame, a frame member of substantially the contour of said" shell andhaving an opening therein,

means extending from the frame and pivotally 1 intersecting the plane ofsaid opening, supporting means rigid with said shell positioned insidethe same, a frame member of substantially the contour of said shell andhaving an opening therein, means extending from the frame and pivotallyconnected with said supporting means for swinging the frame, atransparent panel fixedly positioned within the opening in said frame, agun extending through said panel and said slot, and gun supporting meanscarried by the panel constructed and arranged to support the gun forrotary movement about its longitudinal axis.

3. An aircraft gun mount comprising, in combination with an aircraftbody having a wall with an opening therein; aslotted curved shelladapted to cover said opening, means positioning said shell over theopening for rotation about an axis intersecting the plane of saidopening, supporting means rigid with said shell positioned inside thesame, a frame member of substantially the contour of said shell andhaving an opening therein, means extending from the frame and pivotallyconnected with said supporting means for swinging the frame, atransparent panel fixedly positioned within the opening in said frame, agun extending through said panel and said slot, and gun supporting meanscarried by the panel constructed and arranged to support the gun vforuniversal pivotal movement about a point lying substantially within thesurface of the panel and for rotary movement about its longitudinalaxis.

4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the gun supporting means carriedby the'panel consists of a ball joint.

5. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein the frame is provided with otheropenings around the aforesaid opening, a panel in each of said openings,and the gun supporting means is carried by the panel in the aforesaidopening.

ALFRED FUNK.

